He appeared in 21 matches for Wigan and was part of the Challenge Cup winning side that beat Halifax 32–12 before 94,273 spectators at Wembley Stadium.
Shelford played at prop and scored a try in Wigan's 22–17 victory over Salford in the 1988 Lancashire Cup Final during the 1988–89 season at Knowsley Road on Sunday 23 October 1988.
[4] Shelford played at prop (replaced by interchange/substitute Andy Goodway on 20-minutes) in Wigan's 12-6 victory over Widnes in the 1988–89 John Player Special Trophy Final during the 1988–89 season at Burnden Park, Bolton on Saturday 7 January 1989.
Shelford played at prop in Wakefield Trinity's 8–11 defeat by Castleford in the 1990 Yorkshire Cup Final during the 1990–91 season at Elland Road on Sunday 23 September 1990.
He played 11 provincial games for Canterbury before being chosen to tour Great Britain and France with the New Zealand national rugby league team in 1985.
[6] He made his Test début in 1987 against Papua New Guinea at Goroka and Port Moresby before taking on the Australians in 1987 in which the Kiwis scored a famous 13–6 win over the world champions at Lang Park.
He was teaching at a local high school in Wigan, England and had just gained promotion when he died on 19 September 2003 of a heart attack, aged 39.